"I knew you were sick, so I came back for you. I've tested for it. I can donate my kidney to you. The surgery will be arranged right away. From now on, you won't have to languish under sickness anymore. Once the surgery is complete, you'll still be the young master of the Holland family, and still be my bright shining star of a big brother. I don't want to see you in this tortured state anymore. That's why I came back."
At Selena's words, Jasper's expression was quite shaken.
He looked at his sister, momentarily struck with emotions too complicated to voice.
He'd really been the most angry because he'd thought after all the concern he'd devoted to her, she left just like that, as if she didn't even see him as her big brother. As if she cared nothing for family.
Or, perhaps, that it was only one-sided, that the deep sibling care that he had for her was never reciprocated by her, so she could leave on a whim.
But at this moment, knowing he was sick, Selena had come back to endure his wrath all just to donate a kidney to him.
Jasper fell silent for a long while.
"I can actually buy a kidney from the black market. I don't want yours. It's healthier to have two kidneys. I don't want you to suffer. Do Mom and Dad know about this? Tell them I don't agree."
Selena suddenly stood, bending over to hug Jasper on the bed.
"You've been so good to me, big brother, but I could never pay you back anywhere. Now you're sick, and I'm healthy. Even donating a kidney to you won't affect my body that much. And don't worry, from now on, I'll train my body well. I'll eat three regular meals, and I won't torture myself. Don't worry about me. I'll be responsible for your meals too from now on, until your body checks come back completely normal, and you develop good habits again..."
Selena wept as she spoke, her hot tears dropping onto Jasper's neck. He felt burned, and for some reason, a strange emotion starting roiling inside him.
He didn't even dare reach out to hug her back, and suddenly didn't know what to do about the situation. It was eerie.
She'd never been this intimate with him before.
Jasper thought it was a bit strange, and felt a little awkward as he finally pushed Selena away.
"You're hugging me too tight; I can't breathe."
Jasper said that, then turned his head to the side embarrassedly.
What was that about?
Why did he have such a huge reaction to his own sister hugging him? Why was it that strange? Had he gone insane?
Jasper ranted at himself, adjusted his emotions, then spoke again to Selena.
"I still don't want to agree to this. A big brother caring for his sister is a natural thing, so why would you need to repay me? Is my care something to be bartered with and waited for today where you repay me by willingly giving up a kidney? It's like making a deal. I don't like it."
As Jasper said that, Selena was getting ready to persuade him again when there came a knock on the door and the two stopped talking.
Selena walked over and opened to door. The people coming in were Ivan, Georgia and company...
As the group went in, Jasper looked at Georgia and instantly thought of Robert, his relaxed appearance growing complicated instantly.
Robert had his accident, and now he was sick. The world suddenly felt like a dark place.
Seeing Georgia come here to visit, Jasper inevitably thought of the days he'd grown up alongside Robert. How had life ended up like this?
It was like it had suddenly fallen apart.
"Hello, sir, madam."
Ivan's parents had come around too, and Jasper greeted them respectfully.
Then he smiled at Georgia, Ivan, and Elsie.
"You've come to see me too. Thank you."
"How's your body? Is it uncomfortable anywhere?"
Joanna, Ivan's mother, asked concernedly. Jasper laughed it off.
"There's a bunch of doctors around me every day, and they check up on anything out of the ordinary. I'm still fine. This body can stand it. When I've got a right match for my kidney and finish surgery, I'll be a whole man again."
When facing outsiders, Jasper's words were always super positive, tinted with humor between his sentences.
Elsie smiled and spoke.
"Well, aren't you a beam of sunshine. But with the money you have, you should be completely fine with this surgery. Even if nobody donates a kidney willingly, you could just buy one. Everyone gets that."
Jasper only chuckled. He looked at Ivan and Georgia, growing concerned.
"I've seen the tabloids on the internet. Didn't the two of you go to Sierra and where the other Simpsons were to discuss the inheritance assignment? How did it end up? The internet's all abuzz with mystery right now, and it seems like the results haven't come out yet. Did something happen? Did Sierra make false evidence and fake the will or something? Ruining your efforts today."
That was the speculation on the internet right now. Everyone thought the Simpson family fortune would be settled today.
But then the internet had streamed Georgia and her friends leaving, then the rest of the Simpson family leaving, without a peep coming out. Clearly, the inheritance was not, in fact, settled.
Then there had to be some problem. After all, the will had been assigned, but the talks were still going. Either the Simpson family was too resistant, and wouldn't allow Georgia to inherit the property.
Or there was a problem with the will, and the discussions would still have to be grinded out.
Everyone was guessing online on the tabloid sites, and because he was sick, Jasper didn't know too much insider news. Seeing Georgia and Ivan come over, he started asking curious questions.
Elsie was the first one who couldn't hold it in at that line of questioning.
She started laughing right away.
"What? I'm guessing something funny must have happened."
Jasper prodded.
Elsie nodded mysteriously at him.
"Today was especially brilliant. Let me tell you. The two of them couldn't make it sound half as interesting as I could."
Georgia smiled and nodded at Elsie, having her explain what had happened today to Jasper.
In the few following minutes.
Elsie paced around the ward.
Her hands and expressions flew and she even imitated the reactions of those there, drawing laughs from the gang.
By the time she finished on Sierra's broken, shocked, contorted expression, even Selena, who'd been quiet throughout, showed a wan smile.
Jasper laughed uproariously.
"How unexpected... you've got your devious moments too, Miss Lane. Sierra's really bit off a big one on you."
Georgia chuckled and nodded, while Jasper sighed.
"You were planning it all along with Robert. I didn't even realize. The two of you hid it too well. It's lucky that he'd made preparations, or there'd be trouble today. I knew it wasn't possible he'd take a liking to a woman like Sierra Moon, all fake and disguised. Thankfully, he finally realized who the person he really loved was. Otherwise, he might have died with regrets..."
At that, Jasper suddenly shot a panicked look at Georgia. He'd said something he shouldn't have.